Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1887-05-14
WIN. R. BRINGHURsT, SIR.
SKETCH OF THE PIONEER BUGGY
MAKER OF GAINESVILLE.
Led to His Destiny by Dog-The Story
Of His First Love and Settling in
the Town of Seven Hills.

Following is a short sketch OF the
life of Mr.. VIM. r. Bringhurst, ST.,
who settled here in 1926 or 1928,
written for PICTURESQUE CLARKs-
VILE, book of several hundred
pages now in print by the CHRoN-
1CLE. 1t is gotten up on the best
class of book paper and best style of
the art, elegantly bound, and will be
illustrated with about two hundred
elegant engravings and fine pictures
of the business men and prominent
citizens with sketches of their lives
lives of men from the early settle
ment of the town to the active, enter
prising citizens Of the present day.
This is sample of some of the
sketches. We will publish a
sketch of Rev. Henry F. Beaumont
next week:
Mr.. William r. Bringhurst, ST., established
the first carriage factory In Clarksvtlle about
1929 or 1880, introducing the old Prince Albert
style with the wooden dash board made high
and handsomely curved, and bed with many
curves and cuts to give 1t style, and then
heavily ironed to secure strength and durabil-
ity. People then rarely used buggies and car
riages, or dearborns, as they Were called, ex-
eept for riding 10 enHrGa last on Snnaay f
time, and a few OF these old-style vehicles are
in use yet, being kept up by repairs and pre-
serving the shape and style. HIS nrst shop
was located in the country, that Is, about
where the water works tank now STANDS on
Franklin street. Later he moved in town
occupying house on the north side OF the
Public Square, above the old Planters House
where MIR. Boiling, the tailor, now lives, and
continued business at this stand up TO 1861
the breaking out of the war OF the states
Mr. Bringhurst possessed many peculiaritie'
and noble qualities of head and heart. Stric
integrity and honest dealings with everybody
was his motto; his friendship was open
hearted, warm and generous, and his dislike
equally notable. He mad no way of conceal
ing his contempt for man whose course wa!
not fully up to his standard of integrity ant
had any place in his composition, and If I
man treated him amiss he had way. o
letting him feel his contempt, and wouldn'
spend five minutes to sell a buggy to maj
he disllked. In fact he didn't like to see
mean man riding in one OF his buggies, ant
the money of such a fellow kept his pocket
too hot; on the other extreme he never ior
and strong intellect, and was prominent y
all the affairs of country, State, cay an
church, good worker for public good whel
u
standing his eccentricities, no man had NOR
true, warm friends AT a critical period Il
life misfortune overlook him, perhaps fror
extending long credit, and he gave up all h
possessed TO his creditors, when that nobl
mar, and great public benefactor, William n
Stewart came TO his relief and started hin
anew. Mr.. ,Bringhurst was fond OF hteratur
and newspapers, and enjoyed writin
sketches occasionally for the press. lie wa
a forcible writer and always saw the lndicrou
in everything, giving his articles an oul
cropping of rich humor which made HI
writings very popular With the reading pui
lie Mr. Bringhurst was born In 1874, In Ge
mantown, Penn, Uf English parents, an
died at his home on Main street, now u
residence of q. d. Bailey, In March, lSso. n
came here nom Germantown IN lozs, ~
frequently told with good deal OF zest n
adventure and accidental location IN clark
VILE. He contended that a dog decided
fate or caused him to locate here, but IL
very apparent that a woman had eomethil
10 do with the matter. Thedog may have u
him 20 the place, as the faithful animal
ssften trained 10 lead the blind, but Il was q
charms OF a lovely girl that scaled his Nc
finy. and riveted his feet 10 the soil Of Clark
vile. The story rs he told IL Is pleasing ci
cnmsfance worth recording. He started o
fron, (iermant0wn for the then Far West
vonnc man full Of vigor and promise, seelkil
q home where ne might grow up with 8
country His nrt stop was e Cincinna
where he was much please1 Naln tne ontloo
mi dafernainetl 70 20 further and sec more
nv ros,osrv- From there he went &c Mas
,sliie ant was not No well pleased, and det'
,.,i,,ss3 IL return 10 CinciunasfNnd invest
~ ,nortev Ia 4 certain piece o. ltnu ne 2
..ie1,ed ont. witch Is just about me heart
Iae eisss now. At Nashville . warm ifie1
site Snrnne up between hfsHsei' ~" *Ant.